Books like 'Song for a Whale'
Readers who enjoyed Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary action / adventure animals realistic children family outdoors friendship grief
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내 토끼가 또 사라졌어! by Mo Willems
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsKorean edition of the last story of Knuffle Bunny series, KNUFFLE BUNNY FREE: An Unexpected Diversion by Mo Willems, the author of a three-time Caldecott Honor winner (for Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny, and Knuffle Bunny Too)... -
A Pocket for Corduroy by Don Freeman
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsDon Freeman's classic character, Corduroy, is even more popular today then he was when he first came on the scene over thirty years ago. These favorite titles are ready for another generation of children to love... -
Lion Down by Stuart Gibbs
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTeddy Fitzroy returns as FunJungle’s resident sleuth when a lion is falsely accused of killing a distinguished dog in the latest novel in New York Times bestselling author Stuart Gibbs’s FunJungle series...Categorized as:
animals children friendship outdoors realistic action-adventure anthropomorphism audiobook -
Pax, Journey Home by Sara Pennypacker
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFrom award-winning author Sara Pennypacker comes the long-awaited sequel to Pax ; this is a gorgeously crafted, utterly compelling novel about chosen families and the healing power of love. A New York Times bestseller! It’s been a year since Peter and his pet fox, Pax, have seen each other. Once inseparable, they now lead very different lives... -
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The Islanders by Mary Alice Monroe, Angela May
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAn instant New York Times bestseller! “Storytelling for young readers at its finest—equal parts summer adventure and environmental suspense…[a] love letter to family, friendship, and the natural world... -
Si llevas un raton a la escuela by Laura Joffe Numeroff
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsThe Barnes & Noble ReviewBringing a plucky mouse to school isn't the wisest idea, no matter how much fun it might seem. Thankfully, the bestselling duo of author Laura Numeroff and illustrator Felicia Bond -- creators of If You Take a Mouse to the Movies and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie -- have teamed up to show us the hijinks a whiskered school guest could cause... -
Astrid the Unstoppable by Maria Parr, Guy Puzey
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsPippi Longstocking meets Heidi meets Anne Shirley in this tale of an irrepressible girl in a mountain village who navigates unexpected changes with warmth and humor.Speed and self-confidence, that’s Astrid’s motto... -
Stella by McCall Hoyle
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsSTELLA has been nominated for 14 state awards in FL, ME, NE, NM, OK, PA, KY, KS, LA, AL, MA, SC & TX!"This empathetic read is also full of important themes and lessons for young readers bravery, how to overcome fears, and that mistakes don't have to define us... -
If I Built a Car by Chris Van Dusen
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIf I built a car, it'd be totally new!Here are a few of the things that I'd do. . . .Young Jack is giving an eye-opening tour of the car he'd like to build. There's a snack bar, a pool, and even a robot named Robert to act as chauffeur... -
Unstoppable by Tim Green
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author Tim Green has written an unforgettable story—inspired by interviews with real-life cancer survivors and insider sports experience—showing a brave boy who learns what it truly means to be unstoppable."Absolutely heroic, and something every guy should read... -
Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsThis classic tale of the famous Mallard ducks of Boston is available for the first time in a full-sized paperback edition. Awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1942, Make Way for Ducklings has been described as "one of the merriest picture books ever" (The New York Times). Ideal for reading aloud, this book deserves a place of honor on every child's bookshelf... -
The Shark Caller by Zillah Bethell
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDesperate to become a shark caller to avenge the death of her parents, Blue Wing is instead charged with befriending infuriating newcomer Maple. At first they are angry and out of sync with the island and each other... -
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 42 ratingsStellaluna is the tender story of a lost young bat who finally finds her way safely home to her mother and friends. This award-winning book by Janell Cannon has sold over 500,000 copies and was on the bestseller list for more than two years...Categorized as:
animals children family friendship outdoors realistic action-adventure anthropomorphism -
Across the Desert by Dusti Bowling
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOne girl sets out on a journey across the treacherous Arizona desert to rescue a young pilot stranded after a plane crash in this gripping story of survival, friendship, and rescue from a bestselling and award-winning author... -
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Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin, Harry Bliss
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsThis is the diary... of a spider. But don't be worried – he's more scared of you and your gigantic shoe! Actually, he's a lot like you. He goes to gym class and has Grandparents' Day at school. But he also spins sticky webs, scales walls, and takes wind–catching lessons... -
The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsThe story of a train filled with toys and gifts for little boys and girls that breaks down before reaching the children. After asking several passing trains for help over the hill, a little blue train agrees to help the stranded toys. Even though she is small, the blue train tries her best to bring the toys to the children on the other side of the hill...Categorized as:
animals children family friendship 20th-century action-adventure book children-books -
How to Stay Invisible by Maggie C. Rudd
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsMy Side of the Mountain meets How to Steal a Dog in this high-stakes and heartfelt middle-grade story of a young boy and his dog surviving on their own in the woods.Being alone is something Raymond is used to.Twelve-year-old Raymond Hurley has never had a place to call home...Categorized as:
realistic animals friendship children outdoors middle-grade survival action-adventure -
A Dog’s Life by Ann M. Martin
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsMy name is Squirrel. I was born in a wheelbarrow.There were five of us puppies in the beginning, but only my brother and I survived. So we set off on our own to see the world.Life as a stray has been hard - but filled with adventure!I've been adopted and I've been abandoned. I lost my brother, but found new friends. I've been in scrapes, but I always survived.This is the story of my life...Categorized as:
animals children family friendship outdoors realistic action-adventure anthropomorphism -
Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics by Chris Grabenstein
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWelcome, boys and girls, readers of all ages, to the first-ever Library Olympiad! Kyle and his teammates are back, and the world-famous game maker, Luigi Lemoncello, is at it again! This time Mr. Lemoncello has invited teams from all across America to compete in the first ever LIBRARY OLYMPICS. Will it be fun? Like the commercials say. . -
The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant, Stephen Gammell
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThe relatives' station wagon: it smelled like a real car, looked like a rainbow, and was roomy enough for a crowd. Lucky! Because a big crowd in all shapes and sizes piled into that old wagon at four o'clock one summer morning and piled out of it the next day at their relatives' place on the north side of the mountains. All in good moods...Categorized as:
children family friendship realistic action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? by Bill Martin Jr., Eric Carle
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 33 ratingsKorean edition of a delightful picture book POLAR BEAR, POLAR BEAR, WHAT DO YOU HEAR? (Brown Bear and Friends) by Bill Martin Jr. and illustrated by award-winning author/illustrator Eric Carle, translated by Lee Hi Jae...Categorized as:
animals children family outdoors action-adventure anthropomorphism book children-books -
Diary of a Worm by Doreen Cronin
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThis is the diary . . . of a worm. Surprisingly, a worm not that different from you or me: He lives with his parents, plays with his friends, and even goes to school. But unlike you or me, he never has to take a bath, he gets to eat his homework, and because he doesn't have legs, he just can't do the hokey pokey -- no matter how hard he tries. Oh, and his head looks a lot like his rear end... -
Surprises According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBeing a classroom hamster means having to be ready for anything?but suddenly there are a lot of big surprises in Humphrey's world. Some are exciting, like seeing the playground during a fire drill and getting to roll around in a hamster ball... -
Make the Rules by Annie Barrows
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsBean's older sister, Nancy, is going to Girl Power 4-Ever Camp, where she will do Crafts and Music and First Aid and other secret things that Bean will never know about because girls have to be eleven to go to Girl Power 4-Ever Camp. Bean doesn't care. She doesn't want to go to camp. She wouldn't go even if they begged her. So ha. So ha ha...Categorized as:
children friendship realistic action-adventure book children-books contemporary fiction -
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A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee: by Chris Van Dusen
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMr. Magee and his trusty dog, Dee, are enjoying a peaceful camping trip when all of a sudden they find themselves plunging down a mountain and teetering on the edge of a huge waterfall! How will they find their way out of this slippery situation? Chris Van Dusen, the creator of Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee, has filled this new adventure with charming illustrations and a playful, rhyming text... -
Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA tale of raw adventure as Uncle Hec and Ricky use all their skills to survive in the hard world of precipitous hills and impassable forest. It uncovers the slow maturing of love and trust between two loners in a hard world... -
Toby Alone by Timothée de Fombelle
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsTranslated into twenty-two languages.Toby Lolness may be just one and a half millimeters tall, but he’s the most wanted person in his world — the world of the great oak Tree. Toby’s father has made a groundbreaking discovery: the Tree itself is alive, lowing with vital energy, and there may even be a world beyond it... -
The Line Tender by Kate Allen
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFunny, poignant, and deeply moving, The Line Tender is a story of nature's enduring mystery and a girl determined to find meaning and connection within it.Wherever the sharks led, Lucy Everhart's marine-biologist mother was sure to follow. In fact, she was on a boat far off the coast of Massachusetts, collecting shark data when she died suddenly. Lucy was seven... -
The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBestselling and award-winning author Kate Messner takes readers on a heart-filling journey as a boy finds his path to healing.One summer.46 mountain peaks.A second chance to make things right.Finn Connelly is nothing like his dad, a star athlete and firefighter hero who always ran toward danger until he died two years ago. Finn's about to fail seventh grade and has never made headlines . . -
The Adventures of Geraldine Woolkins by Karin Kaufman
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsYoung Geraldine longs to have adventures as thrilling as those in the Book of Tales, the book her papa reads to her and her brother Button at night. More than that, she wants to be brave--a seemingly impossible task in a world where ravens throw black shadows over the earth and wolves prowl barren lands in search of their prey. But Geraldine is a mouse. The weakest of ground things...Categorized as:
animals children outdoors action-adventure book children-books christian contemporary -
Ruby Reinvented by Ronni Arno
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen Ruby flees Hollywood to escape the fame of her parents, she tells a lie that could ruin the life she loves at her new boarding school in this M!X novel about courage, families, and finding your own spotlight.Ruby Miller has it made. As the only child of model-turned-TV-host Celestine Cruz and pro-baseball star Zack Miller, she has everything a twelve-year-old girl could want...Categorized as:
children family friendship realistic action-adventure boarding-school book children-books -
The Last Bear by Hannah Gold
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsIn this instant literary classic about friendship, forging your own path, and doing what’s right, debut author Hannah Gold inspires fans of Pax and A Wolf Called Wander to make a difference in any way they can.There are no polar bears left on Bear Island. At least, that’s what April’s father tells her when his scientific research takes them to a faraway Arctic outpost... -
The Last Firefox by Lee Newbery, Laura Catalan
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA heartwarming story about family, friendship and finding your inner fire.Between bullies at school and changes at home, Charlie Challinor finds life a bit scary. And when he's made guardian of a furry fox cub called Cadno, things get a whole lot scarier.Because Cadno isn't just any fox: he's a firefox - the only one of his kind - and a sinister hunter from another world is on his trail... -
The Stars of Summer by Tara Dairman
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt’s not easy being an undercover restaurant critic—especially when you’re only twelve years old!After successfully completing her first restaurant review for the New York Standard newspaper, Gladys Gatsby is looking forward to a quiet summer of cooking and eating. But her plans quickly go awry when her friend Charissa Bentley delivers Gladys’s birthday gift: a free summer at Camp Bentley... -
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Run Away Home by Terri Farley
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSamantha can't wait for the holiday break from school. But there's no time to Brynna's baby is due any day; the local authorities are gathering more mustangs from the range; and her best friend Jen's ranch is in upheaval–its owner, Linc Slocum, has just been arrested, and no one is sure what will happen to Jen and her family... -
The Someday Birds by Sally J. Pla
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsCharlie wishes his life could be as predictable and simple as chicken nuggets.And it usually is. He has his clean room, his carefully organized bird books and art supplies, his favorite foods, and comfortable routines.But life has been unraveling since his war journalist father was injured in Afghanistan... -
No News Is Good News by Annie Barrows
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIvy and Bean need some money. Ten dollars, to be exact. Never mind what for. Okay, it's for low-fat Belldeloon cheese in a special just-for you serving size. Don't ask why. How are Ivy and Bean going to make ten dollars? Hey, maybe they should write a newspaper about Pancake Court and sell it! Great idea! And easy, too. All they have to do is snoop around the neighborhood. Wow..Categorized as:
children friendship realistic action-adventure audiobook book children-books contemporary -
The Terrible Two Go Wild by Mac Barnett, Jory John
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSummers are for pranking in The Terrible Two Go Wild , the third installment of the hilarious New York Times bestselling series by Mac Barnett and Jory John, with illustrations by Kevin Cornell.School’s out, and pranksters Miles and Niles have retreated to a perfect hideout in the woods, complete with snacks, games, books, sleeping bags, stream-chilled lemonade . . -
A Wolf Called Wander by Rosanne Parry
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSwift, a young wolf cub, lives with his pack in the mountains learning to hunt, competing with his brothers and sisters for hierarchy, and watching over a new litter of cubs. Then a rival pack attacks, and Swift and his family scatter.Alone and scared, Swift must flee and find a new home. His journey takes him a remarkable one thousand miles across the Pacific Northwest...Categorized as:
animals children family outdoors realistic action-adventure anthropomorphism audiobook -
Football Genius by Tim Green
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author and former NFL player Tim Green scores a touchdown with this exhilarating and action-packed story about an ordinary boy who becomes a hero you can really root for. Perfect for fans of Mike Lupica.Twelve-year-old Troy White has a phenomenal gift: He can predict football plays before they even happen. Any position. Any player. Any team... -
City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIn spring, when City Dog runs free in the country for the first time, he spots Country Frog sitting on a rock, waiting for a friend. “You’ll do,” Frog says, and together they play Country Frog games. In summer, they meet again and play City Dog games. Through the seasons, whenever City Dog visits the country he runs straight for Country Frog’s rock... -
Born to Run by Michael Morpurgo
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe bag wasn't just drifting gently along, it was turning of it's own accord. There was something inside it, squeaking and squealing in terror. Patrick didn't think about it. He shrugged off his school bag and leaped into the canal.For Best Mate, being rescued from drowning as a young puppy is only the start of his adventures...Categorized as:
animals children family friendship realistic action-adventure anthropomorphism audiobook -
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 41 ratingsThe irrepressible mouse heroine of Chester's Way and Julius, the Baby of the World returns for another true-to-life and very funny episode. Lilly loves everything about school, especially her teacher, Mr. Slinger--until he takes away her musical purse because she can't stop playing with it in class. Lilly decides to get revenge with a nasty drawing of "Big Fat Mean Mr...Categorized as:
animals children family friendship realistic action-adventure anthropomorphism audiobook -
The Yellow Bus by Loren Long
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsPerfect for fans of Love and Hello, Lighthouse , The Yellow Bus from #1 New York Times bestselling Loren Long is a tender and soulful story about a forgotten school bus that finds happiness and purpose in the most unexpected places--and in the journey along the way.There is a bright yellow bus who spends her days driving. She loves carrying children from one important place to another...Categorized as:
outdoors children realistic children-books fiction action-adventure contemporary book -
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Chester's Way by Kevin Henkes
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 30 ratings“I like croquet and peanut butter and making my bed.”There is only one way for Chester to do things—his own way. “You definitely have a mind of your own,” said Chester’s mother. “That’s one way to put it,” said Chester’s father.Luckily Chester’s best friend, Wilson, likes doing things just the same way as Chester. When they cut their sandwiches, it's always diagonally...Categorized as:
animals children family friendship realistic action-adventure anthropomorphism audiobook -
Stand on the Sky by Erin Bow
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA middle grade debut by author, Erin Bow, about a young girl who defies her family’s expectations in order to save her brother and become an eagle hunter. It goes against all tradition for Aisulu to train an eagle, for among the Kazakh nomads, only men can fly them... -
Everywhere With You by Carlie Sorosiak
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe heartwarming friendship between a girl and the dog next door tenderly evokes the power of stories to bring—and keep—us together.Two houses stand side by side: one is home to a dog, the other to a young girl. Though a fence divides them, girl and dog build a sweet and sturdy friendship rooted in make-believe…and are lonely no more... -
Where the World Turns Wild by Nicola Penfold
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsJuniper Greene lives in a walled city from which nature has been banished, following the outbreak of a deadly man-made disease many years earlier. While most people seem content to live in such a cage, she and her little brother Bear have always known about their resistance to the disease, and dream of escaping into the wild. To the one place humans have survived outside of cities... -
Elephant Secret by Eric Walters
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWe Bought a Zoo meets Jurassic Park in a gripping story set in an elephant sanctuary, featuring the perennial appeal of human-animal friendships.Samantha (Sam) lives at the elephant sanctuary her dad runs and views the elephants there as much a part of her family as her single dad is...Categorized as:
animals children family realistic action-adventure book children-books coming-of-age -
The Last Wish of Sasha Cade by Cheyanne Young
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe day Raquel has been dreading for months has finally arrived. Sasha, her best friend in the whole world, has died of cancer. Overwhelmed and brokenhearted, Raquel can't even imagine life without her. And then a letter from Sasha arrives...
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